I used to let this whining annoy me. Drivers complain about the price of gas--the one factor of the equation they have no control over--but do nothing about the amount of gas they buy.

As I say, I used to let this annoy me. Now I laugh at it.

I admit to driving a gas hog. The thing's got a 5.9L engine and is required to take 92 octane at a minimum. This translates to a very expensive fuel bill. I knew this when I bought it. I accepted this. I still accept this. I am not complaining about the gas prices. The thing I have to point out is that when new vehicles are sold, there is an estimated cost of ownership printed on the sticker and it's broken down to the cost of fuel. Most people should be smart enough to realise that cost never goes down. I have no sympathy for those who complain about the price of gas yet have other alternatives. You get what you ask for.

Rising gas prices will hurt all of us because everything in the economy is affected by it.

As for me, I have already taken major steps to wean myself from it's effects. But all prices go up when fuel prices rise.

While I agree that a quick run up to $3 a gallon gas would be a hard pill for our fragile growing economy, the only way cleaner technologies will come to market is with higher gas prices. I don't give a rip if someone drives an H2, a lot of you do for some reason, yet you fret about Ashcroft controlling your minds...anywho, the reason H2s abound is quite simple, gas has been too damn cheap for 15 years. More expensive American gasoline will spur private investment in alternative technologies, encourage conservation, and improve our air quality. In the long run, what's not to like from an ecological point of view? Interestingly enough I see a Toyota Prius or a Honda Insight several times a day now while out and about, they are becomming commonplace here. I doubt my observations locally are representative nationally, but it's starting and as manufacturers become profitable with these technologies progress will come quickly. The future is bright folks, look for the light! :)

Not nearly as much as people think. The prices of all goods and services are determined first and foremost by the demand for them. If people refuse to pay $5 for a loaf of bread, the suppliers simply will not charge $5 for a loaf of bread. A long term fuel price increase will merely force those supplying the goods to find more efficient ways of doing so, including more efficient means of transporting them, as well as decentralising production. The problem is that most of the popular press is too short sighted to perceive any of this, as are politicians elected by opinion poll -- hence this tends to go unrealised.

How much does gasoline cost in Aussie-land?

We have one of the highest per capita income here and we still pay the cheapest gas relative to the rest of the world. Heck, I don't own a motorhome, therefore, I ain't complaining.... ...Gas is cheap even at $4/gal.

George!

To be honest I have no idea. I don't use it, so I don't pay attention to what it costs. I can only assume by the number of people who jump in their cars to drive two parking spaces within the same parking lot, that it's not nearly enough.

LOL
We have two parking lots at work. There are always people running to their cars to move them to the upper lot. Don't get it.

(emphasis is mine)

I was eating my oatmeal the other day, and had occasion to read the label on the plastic bear that contained the honey I put on top of the oatmeal. It said, "Made in Turkey".

How cheap does fuel have to be that it is economic to ship honey halfway around the world ? I know that honey is produced in Michigan, my uncle was a beekeeper.

This is part of the problem of globalization. Local industries are decimated because large multinational producers have centralized the means of distribution and production. In addition to being terrible news for working people, it adds to the homogenization of culture. The older folks reading this will remember a time when each region of the USA had it's own unique foods and recipes. This has largely disappeared.

One of the added benefits to rising fuel costs is that expensive fuel makes more obvious the advantages of local production goods and services.

Dan

WalMart is probably becoming conerned that when the price of gas finally goes over the top of American consumers will to pay, they will start parking the family car and quit driving the 5-20 miles to shop at the nearest WalMart. I say Too Bad Wally world.

That is a point I have made many times but no one seems to be listening. Everyone is preaching "doom and gloom and economic collapse" but what will really happen is that all of our manufacturing jobs will come back home from Mexico and Asia because the cost of shipping will make it economically impossible to make everything in China and ship it to the USA.

It costs me £55 to fill my 70 liter tank with diesel,
to convert that to American that is 14 gallons for US$97.44

It wont be long before a tank of fuel is over $100

OUCH!!! My Diesel tank is 100 gallons!